Richmond Finds Gold in Games
March 1, 2010
The City of Richmond is celebrating its success in helping to host the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. From the Richmond Olympic Oval, where capacity crowds saw several Olympic records smashed, to the Richmond O Zone, where 500,000 visitors celebrated the Olympic spirit, Richmond had many golden moments throughout the 2010 Games.
“The past few weeks have been the most extraordinary days in the history of our community,” said Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie. “We welcomed the world and showed them why we are so proud to call Richmond and Canada our home. We’ve been overwhelmed with the positive feedback we’ve received from local residents to international visitors who took part in our many Olympic programs.”
Richmond’s efforts in helping to stage the Games won special mention from International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge in both the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games, a remarkable achievement for a non-Host city.
Brodie was quick to praise the more than 1,000 volunteers, who worked along side City staff, community partners and contractors to make the Games a success in Richmond.
“The volunteers were incredible,” said Brodie. “We consistently heard from international dignitaries, media, tourists and local residents that they loved the experiences they had in Richmond. Whether it was working in the O Zone, helping out with protocol responsibilities or as part of the workforce at the Oval, Richmond volunteers were gracious hosts who provided an exceptional level of service. We thank them all for their tireless efforts.”
Brodie said the exposure and new relationships Richmond has gained from the Games will pay long-term benefits to the community in increased tourism and economic development and support the success of key civic strategies for the development of arts and culture, major events and sport hosting. He also saluted Richmond’s many community partners, such as Tourism Richmond, Volunteer Richmond and Richmond Chamber of Commerce, who worked closely with the City to help the community gain full benefit from helping to host the 2010 Games, and the local businesses who helped create a series of visual spectacles for the Richmond Revealed program.
Large crowds who cheered Team Canada to gold medals in men’s and women’s hockey on the O Zone’s giant screens on the final weekend of the Games, helped lift final attendance numbers for the City’s official celebration site to 400,000. That included 120,000 who attended Holland Heineken House, the most popular attraction of the O Zone. Richmond’s attendance set a new record for Holland Heineken House, which has been a crowd favourite at the past Olympic Summer and Winter Games.
City crews are now busy tearing down the O Zone infrastructure as quickly as possible to allow resumption of regular public access and parking at Minoru Park and Richmond City Hall.
Some parking and access has already reopened and most Minoru Park areas will be back to normal services by the end of the week, with all facilities and services back to regular operations by March 13.
